Scotland Women play Hungary at Hampden in their third World Cup qualifying match on Friday evening.
The Scots will be looking to pick up another vital three points in Group B against familiar opposition, having defeated Hungary 2-0 in the reverse fixture last month.
The qualifier against Hungary will be followed with a friendly against Olympic silver medalists Sweden in Paisley next Tuesday.
Pedro Martinez Losa has made several changes from the squad that was called up to face Hungary and the Faroe Islands for the first round of qualifiers.
Rangers duo Briana Westrup and Lizzie Arnott drop out, but SWPL1 is still well represented with 11 players hailing from the domestic league.
Hibs’ Amy Muir and Leah Eddie have been recalled to the side, having made their international debuts against Northern Ireland in March 2020.
Their inclusion in the squad suggests Martinez Losa is willing to include in-form SWPL1 players in his tenure as head coach, despite their lack of senior international experience.
The squad will be boosted by the return of WSL trio Caroline Weir, Lucy Graham and Lisa Evans, who all missed out last month due to injury.
However, the Scots will be without Manchester United forward Martha Thomas, who scored in each of September’s qualifiers.
North-east representation
St0nehaven’s Christy Grimshaw will be looking to continue her fine form in a Scotland shirt, having started both fixtures in the last round of qualifiers, scoring her first international goal against the Faroe Islands.
The AC Milan midfielder will face competition for a place in the starting XI with Weir, Evans and Graham returning to the squad, but she has proven her credentials at club level.
Grimshaw has featured in all but one of the Italian side’s Serie A fixtures, starting three consecutive games against Roma, Napoli and Sassuolo.
She has also shown her versality this season, playing in centre midfield, as well as playing as an attacking midfielder through the middle and on the wing.
The midfielder scored her first league goal of the season in the 1-1 draw with Roma, rescuing a point for AC Milan, who currently sit third in Serie A.
This will all appeal to Martinez Losa, who will be trying to identify his strongest team in only his third game in charge.
We can be better and we will be. We will always fight 👊🏼
Thankful to score my first 🔴⚫️ goal this season. pic.twitter.com/hzQoQc88Vg— christy grimshaw (@christygrimshaw) October 10, 2021
Evening Express columnist Rachel Corsie will lead the side out at Hampden against Hungary after making her 125th appearance for Scotland last month.
Corsie joins up with the squad from Kansas City, who are struggling for form, currently sitting bottom of the NWSL.
However, NWSL has been about much more than on-pitch rivalries as the league’s players have united in opposition to the toxic culture that failed to acknowledge and act on sexual abuse allegations made against coach Paul Riley.
Scotland’s game against Hungary kicks off at 7.35pm at Hampden with tickets still available to buy. The game will also be shown live on BBC Alba, with coverage starting at 7.25pm.
